


Knights in Dulling Armor

by writinqwronqs



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-31
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-04-05 16:53:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19044511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writinqwronqs/pseuds/writinqwronqs
Summary: Adora is a turncoat. Realizing after a jaunt in the Whispering Woods that the Horde is evil, she joins the rebellion. But what will happen to her now? And what will happen to those she once knew?Or, a (shoddily done) period drama about the She-Ra crew in big palaces in old timey Etheria.





	1. Arrival at Castle Brightmoon

**Author's Note:**

> First ever fanfic- not really sure where this story is going, just sort of started it for fun!
> 
> Takes place in an alternate universe where Etheria is kind of like old timey Britain/Europe but different enough that I can be lazy and historically inaccurate with details!

The sky is turning pink and yellow and Adora realizes that it must be morning already. She hasn’t slept at all, but that doesn’t matter now. She has to get up. As a turncoat on the run she has very little (honestly, almost surprisingly little) freedom over her schedule. It’s always the same. Hide, sleep, awaken, hide.

She hears footsteps approaching and decides that staying hidden is the best course of action. She is acutely aware of the fact that her hiding place is rather poor, and isn’t really a hiding place at all. She’s lying prone in an alleyway with her face covered (PURPOSEFULLY, mind you) in dirt and grime. Less of a poor hiding place and more of a rather unclever disguise, then. She ducks her head down as the footsteps approach. She wishes with all her heart that whoever it is they will pass her as a beggar on the street and nothing more. Her wishes never have been worth much.

A pair of Horde Red boots stop in front of her. She shivers a little when she realizes how terribly wrong this encounter could go.

“Madame,” a sharp voice says above her. She feels as though she has no choice but to look. Turncoat or not, she has manners. She raises her head slowly, drawing out the inevitable, she supposes, but when she catches sight of the man’s face it is, shockingly, not one she recognizes.

Her confusion turns to relief as she sees that the man is not decked out in full Horde regalia. Perhaps on some off chance he’s just not realized that he is wearing the color of the sworn enemies of all Etheria. Perhaps.

“Sir,” Adora says, nodding lightly. He smiles a little and offers her a hand.

“I know who you are,” he says, with a glint of mischief in his eyes.

“I cannot imagine that you do,” she responds.

“You might begin to open your mind a little then, _Force Captain Adora_.”

For her part Adora does her best to look as though that is entirely _not_ her name. The clear surprise on her face must give her away though. The man still stands, smirking, with one hand held out towards her, and so she decides, for propriety’s sake, to take it. Adora stands and realizes with some satisfaction that the man is rather more like a boy when seen up close. His soft brown eyes seem less menacingly mischievous and more boyishly mischievous, and he smiles when Adora looks up from dusting off her skirts.

“I have 2 questions before this moves any further,” Adora states. She feels that she must regain some control here, otherwise her day will be entirely turned upon its head.

“Number one: who in Etheria are you? Number two: do you have the power to get me a warm meal and a hot bath?”

The man (boy?) laughs heartily, and says “Well, your second question appears more pressing, no offense, so let’s get that taken care of first!” He drops Adora’s hand, seemingly under the impression that she will follow him, and begins walking the way that he came. His impression is correct as it has been at least a fortnight since Adora has had a proper bath and she will do anything for it. She grabs her small collection of items and follows him. She wants to challenge his assertion that his name and position are of less importance than her bodily needs however at that moment her stomach decides that she is wrong and lets out an awfully plaintive wail.

“A meal first, then,” the man says, and lightly takes Adora’s hand to assist her into an ornate carriage she had hardly noticed approaching.

 

 

The ride to their unknown destination is brief, and Adora hardly has time to get her bearings when she notices where they are.

“Castle… Castle Brightmoon,” she says, painfully obviously awed by its grandeur. “It’s so much more beautiful in person.”

The man chuckles as he opens the door to the carriage to exit, for the 100th time extending his gloved hand to Adora. She sees the contrast between his pristine white gloves and her own broken and dirtied fingernails and has the faint thought that she should be embarrassed. She sees no other way for the situation to have gone, though, and so forgets her embarrassment promptly.

A short woman with pink hair flits toward them and, after greeting the man with a curt nod, turns her attention to Adora.

“So,” she says, jauntily, “you’re Adora. I expected…” She lets her sentence trail off in a most unladylike manner and turns on her heel towards the entrance of the castle.

“Come along then, Bow,” she says. “The driver informs me our newest, erm, guest would like a meal.”

 _Bow_. Adora stores that information away for later. There is no telling if she will ever see the man again (or even the sunlight, for all she knows she is being captured and held prisoner) but she thinks it cannot hurt to try and remember his name.

“Augh, GLIMMER!” Bow says. The pink haired woman turns, confused.

“Yes, Bow?” she asks.

“I was _trying_ to be mysterious! I hadn’t told her my name yet. I thought it would add to the intrigue.”

It seems for a moment as though Glimmer ( _Glimmer, Glimmer, Glimmer,_ Adora chanted internally _)_ will respond. Instead, she rolls her eyes and keeps walking, Bow sulking rather pitifully behind her.

 

 

As they moved through the halls of the castle Adora tried to memorize each turn they took so that should she need to plot a daring escape she wouldn’t be foiled by her own inability to remember where the entrance was. This was more difficult than anticipated because, one, she was very tired, hungry, and generally downtrodden, and two, there were far too many twists and turns. Such elaborate architecture did prove the Horde’s point about the wastefulness of princesses. And yet, Adora found herself admiring the columns and statues that lined the halls.

They stopped in front of two large double doors which Bow and Glimmer pushed open. Adora could have helped, being unbound (and actually just now realizing it) but she chose to watch and get the full effect.

It was the right choice. As the doors opened a rush of delicious smell hit her nostrils and she felt almost as though she had been returned to humanity’s most base and animal state. Her eyes watered. Her knees weakened. She might even have been drooling (though she would deny it later, even in the presence of the law).

Glimmer led the trio to the end of a very long table and gestured to an open seat, which Adora took gratefully, gently setting her bag of belongings on the ground next to her. Within seconds a waiter had appeared, and then another, and another, until it seemed that maybe the whole thing was an elaborate ruse and this army of waiters was the final piece of the puzzle of why she was here _and_ how she would die. Adora felt suddenly and vastly outnumbered, and her heart began to race.

But just as quickly as the commotion had arrived it dissipated, leaving only massive and steaming plates of foods Adora had never even dreamt of behind. Ignoring her mind’s screaming of “POISON, WHAT IF IT’S POISON” in favor of her stomach’s screaming “FOOD, THAT IS WITHOUT A DOUBT FOOD” Adora began piling her plate as soon as Glimmer and Bow began piling theirs.

She remained on her best behavior, despite her desire to shove the two of them out of the way, dump all of the food into a claw footed tub, and swim in it until she died.

Once she had eaten her fill Adora looked to her… captors, was it?

“I am sated, thank you,” she said. Glimmer nodded once more and stood from the table.

“A bath, then,” she said. And then added, “erm, no offense.”

 

 

As she exited the bath Adora was reminded quickly that foresight was not her strong suit. Her skin was scrubbed pink, yes, and she did feel as though she was cleaner than she had probably ever been. There was only one problem.

“Erm… Bow? Glimmer? … Anyone?”

Bow peeked his head in the door, blushed profusely, and was immediately replaced by Glimmer.

“Ah, yes. Clothing,” Glimmer said. Adora could have sworn she heard a bit of laughter in her voice, but before she could comment Glimmer was gone. If she hadn’t known better Adora would say it was as though she had vanished into thin air.

Not sure what to do with herself, Adora stood in the center of the room, feeling smaller and smaller by the minute. The bliss of being full and clean for the first time in weeks was also fading, and she was beginning to wonder what all of this was about.

Glimmer returned to find Adora so lost in thought that she did not even notice her re-entry.

“Um, Force Captain?” Glimmer said weakly. She could only be expected to stare in silence at a very nude woman for so long.

“Oh, Glimmer! You startled me. My apologies. How long have you been here?”

“Not very long,” Glimmer stammered. Her cheeks and her hair were rivaling one another for pinkness and Adora found it rather, well, cute.

“I’ve brought you some clothing. It was our tailor’s best guess as to what would fit. He tried to find something with a slightly adjustable corset that way if it was too big or too small we could try to make it work.”

She stepped hesitantly toward Adora before remembering herself and letting the clothes drop onto a nearby chair.

“I’ll just fetch a maid. To help you dress.”

 

 

Now clean and dressed, Adora wondered what in Etheria would happen next.

Glimmer had come to find her after the maid had left and had led her to a large room. It looked nothing like the strategy rooms at the Horde but it gave Adora the same creeping anxiety.

Glimmer sat down at the large, circular table and Adora, always a quick learner, did the same. Bow joined them shortly thereafter, averting his eyes and mumbling an apology, and then Glimmer cleared her throat.

“My mother, Queen Angella of Bright Moon, will soon join us. If you value your freedom and your life, I suggest you stand when she enters and maintain your composure as she informs you of our plans for you.”

Adora could only nod and then stand as at that moment the doors swung open once more.

There stood a woman who could only be a queen. Angella swept into the room as though her feet were not touching the ground and took her place in the largest chair at the table. After she was seated the other three sat down as well.

“Force Captain Adora,” she said.

“Actually, it’s just Adora, Your Highness,” Adora said, before she had the good sense to snap her mouth closed and look mortified.

“Just Adora, then,” the queen said, smiling. “I am sure you are wondering why you are here, Adora. I would like to offer you a place in Bright Moon’s army. I know you are a skilled fighter, and an even more skilled leader. I am offering you a chance to do good, Adora.”

Adora’s mouth gaped open as a fish’s might’ve and she tried with all her might to school her features into something fit for a queen.

“I accept,” she said easily.

Queen Angella could not hide her surprise. She turned to look at Glimmer and Bow, who were themselves doing great impressions of wide mouth basses.

“And how shall we test your loyalty?” Angella asked. “I am no stranger to the Horde’s trickery. I lost my husband to your army. How shall I know that you are not a spy, sent in to weaken our structures and attack us from the inside just as we let our guards down?”

“With all due respect, Your Highness, you cannot. Only time will show you that I mean to work honestly for justice and peace in Etheria. As a child I did not know the Horde was evil or bad. I thought only of my orders and my comrades in the army. We were told that princesses were dangerous and evil. We were told that the Horde was trying to save Etheria, to give all Etherian children the same privileged childhood we were privy to in the Horde. And then, one night much past curfew, a friend and I decided to sneak out into the Whispering Woods.” Adora’s heart ached at the thought of that night. Of how she and Catra had laughed and talked as they made their way out of the Horde camp and into the cover of the trees. How Catra had grabbed her hand unthinkingly as they walked through the woods, so that she wouldn’t trip, of course. How her heart had beat in a strange rhythm, one with which she was unfamiliar.

The queen cleared her throat and Adora was snapped back into the moment.

“And then?” the queen asked.

“And then I found the sword.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flashback chapter! Please let me know if y'all think I should continue this story, or of any suggestions you have!

_“Adora? Adora!”_

_Adora looked up, bleary eyed. Catra was standing above her looking impossibly worried (and impossibly something else Adora couldn’t quite put her finger on. Pretty, maybe, if she had to guess)._

_“Ugghhh, Catra. What happened?”_

_The last thing Adora remembered was seeing something glinting in the moonlight, peeking out of the bushes. Knowing that curiosity killed the cat, and not wanting a similar fate to befall her feline-esque companion, Adora took it upon herself to reach for the shining object and quell both of their curiosity._

_As soon as her hand connected with the cool metal her entire being began to tremble, not entirely unlike the time she had fallen into an icy cold river during one of the Horde’s more grueling training sessions. A blinding light surrounded her and the next thing she knew she was lying on the ground staring up at Catra._

_Presently, Catra climbed on top of Adora and stared intensely into her eyes. Adora’s heart was already beating hard from the adrenaline and she let herself believe it continued to do so for that same reason. Catra didn’t seem to notice, anyway. She leaned in very close, staring into Adora’s soul the entire time, until their foreheads were touching and their eyes were crossing to maintain contact._

_Adora wanted to speak, wanted to say something reassuring or funny. Anything to get Catra to react. But she didn’t know what to say, and so she stayed silent._

_After about 30 seconds Catra spoke up. “I was so, so worried,” she said, sounding rather more shaken than Adora had ever heard her._

_“I’m okay, though, right?” Adora said, half reassuring and half truly asking._

_“It seems so,” Catra said. “I’m not sure what just happened, but we need to get you back to the barracks, and fast.”_

_“Are we going to tell Weaver?” Adora asked. She knew they would get into trouble, but it was probably worth it._

_“No way! We’ll get into trouble, definitely not worth it!” Catra said._

_“Well, what do we do then?” Adora knew that if she shifted at all Catra might stand up, and she wasn’t sure if she wanted her to or not yet, so she decided to remain still while Catra thought._

_After a brief pause Catra sighed._

_“I don’t know.” She said, defeated. “Maybe… maybe you should try touching that sword again. I think maybe you pulled away too quickly last time. Maybe something else will happen and we can… go from there?” Her confident tone petered out at the end, and Adora had to wonder if touching the flashy sword that had only just knocked her unconscious was truly the right choice. What if she died?_

_In the end she decided that nothing would be worse than whatever punishment they were going to receive upon their return (even death, as it were) and so she pushed at Catra lightly so that she could get up, reached out,  and grabbed the gleaming golden hilt of the sword._

_This time the explosion of light was even bigger and brighter. Images flashed in front of Adora’s eyes in rapid succession._

_A beautiful land, grassy plains, glorious castles, all of it shimmering in sunlight. People smiling and laughing, hugging and kissing and holding hands. Winding paths, open spaces, and… The Horde. It looked different than it did now. There were only a few buildings, nothing like the hundreds of encampments across Etheria that Adora and Catra knew. And there was Commander Weaver, and Lord Hordak. Hordak looked very young. There was a glint to his eye that Adora recognized. He looked, she realized, scary. She had always seen Hordak as scary, a big authority who could ruin any one of them at any moment. Take away a lowly foot soldier’s dream of becoming a Force Captain in the war against the EVIL princesses._

_But now it was different. She watched as the world changed before her eyes. The happy, smiling people she had seen before lay, unblinking, on the ground. The grassy plains and sunny skies were darkened by smoke. And leading the charge, destroying the happiness and love, was Hordak._

_Adora wished she could close her eyes to what she saw. But she couldn’t. It was as if she were a bird flying over each increasingly terrible scene. She watched as Hordak led the charge against innocent people, even children stood no chance. This was not how the Horde was supposed to be. They were the good guys. The knights in shining armor._

_Why, then, was all Adora saw destruction? The scenes flying past her slowed almost to a stop. In letters she had never seen before but could still read nonetheless was a phrase. Shining out, begging Adora to say it._

_FOR THE HONOR OF GRAYSKULL!_

_As dream Adora said the words real Adora did too. She felt her bones creaking and groaning, her skin felt like it was on fire, and her hair whipped past her in white blonde ropes._

_When it was all over she stood facing Catra, who seemed much smaller somehow than she had moments before. Catra only stared at her._

_“WHO ARE YOU AN-AND WHERE IS ADORA?” she yelled once her eyes had receded a little bit back into her head._

_“I AM Adora,” Adora said. But even as the words left her mouth she began to understand that they were no longer true. She was still herself, yes, but she was… she was someone else entirely, too._

_Catra’s eyes bulged even more than they had moments prior._

_“Adora… is it really you?” She took a few steps closer (she had moved pretty far away, likely to avoid death should it be contained in the next surprise flash of light) and reached up as though she was going to touch.. Adora’s? (Big Adora’s?) face. She seemed to have thought better of it though because she lowered her hand and just stared up into Adora’s glowing blue eyes._

_“I think… I think my name is… She-Ra,” Adora said. Well, She-Ra said, as it were. The name had come into her consciousness only as she opened her mouth to say it._

_“Catra,” she said, “we must leave the Horde. The Horde is… is evil. When I touched the sword I-“_

_Catra cut her off with a loud cackle._

_“Adora, you absolute dolt. Of course the Horde is EVIL!” She could hardly contain herself, laughter spilling over even into her words. “Did ‘We destroy and we pillage every village, every village’ as a nursery rhyme not ever set off any alarms?” Catra continued laughing, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. Only when she noticed the very distraught look on She-Ra’s face did she finally settle down._

_“Oh, erm, hey. I really am very sorry. I thought… I thought everyone knew. Especially you. You know how Commander Weaver treats me. She uses her powers against me as often as she can get away with. So, you understand… I just, I thought you knew…”_

_She-ra looked like a mixture of 100 different emotions, as though someone had just taken her whole world and tipped it on its head._

_“Catra. We cannot go back.”_

_Now it was Catra’s turn to look utterly confused._

_“Of course we can ‘She-Ra’. We have to. It’s our home. If we leave Hordak’s kingdom where do you propose we go? You know they won’t give up chase, especially if the golden girl herself, Force Captain Adora, is involved. If I didn’t know better I would say Hordak has half a mind to marry you himself and make you Lady Adora of the Horde. And anyway, how do you figure this sword makes you any different from the rest of the Horde Armies? If the Horde is evil, Adora, so are we.”_

_She-Ra shook her head violently, shining golden hair falling over her shoulders with impossible grace. Real Adora wasn’t like this, Catra thought. She wasn’t… what, Catra? Beautiful? She knew that wasn’t true. Catra believed that no one in the Horde Army could have known beauty before Adora arrived. But this wasn’t her Adora. This was some giant, sword wielding (also beautiful) warrior who had taken over Adora’s body._

_“Catra, please. Please say you’ll go with me. Please. After what the sword has shown me there is no way I can return to the Horde. Please.”_

_Catra could not believe what she was hearing. The Horde was their home, evil or not. Where was this inflated sense of morality when Catra was being tortured each day? Where was it on those nights all of the other soldiers were sent to bed and Catra was stopped in the hall by Commander Weaver, only to be found by Adora the next morning, exhausted and bruised and basically begging for sleep._

_“You cannot be serious, Adora. She-Ra. Whoever you are.” Catra spit the last part out as though it were venom leaving her lips. “There is no way we can leave the Horde. They… they have raised us. They have trained us to be the best soldiers in all Etheria. Who is to say what is good and what is evil? What is right and what is wrong?”_

_“We are, Catra,” Adora said, pleadingly. “We are. I can no longer abide by the laws of the Horde and I certainly cannot continue to fight for the cause of evil and destruction. Whether you join me or not is your choice entirely. But I must go.”_

_She-Ra began walking in the opposite direction of the Horde encampment and Catra stood and watched. For many, many days she would wonder if Adora would return to the Horde. For many, many years she would not._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading :)


	3. Chapter 3

Adora was exhausted. The queen had had no shortage of questions to ask her and the sun had well set by the time she and Glimmer and Bow were released for supper.

She hardly had the energy to lift her fork and was not much of a conversationalist to begin with (the Horde Army did not need to know the fineries of high class Etherian living. They were meant only as disposable human, or mostly human, weapons) but she did listen as Bow and Glimmer chatted amicably together.

Both seemed relieved that Adora was joining them. They knew all about She-Ra, having heard fairy tales of her existence growing up. Not even Angella had been alive to see the last She-Ra, and so she too had demanded that Adora transform as proof. Since she had only done it once before Adora was unsure about what would happen. She had been too scared to try it while she was attempting to remain as inconspicuous as possible. Becoming an 8-ft tall glowing warrior princess at all hours of the day and night did not exactly scream “subtlety.”

However, in order to gain the trust of the queen, she decided to try it. After fumbling about with the sword for a moment and trying to remember the phrase she needed to say (“For the power of… what was it? Gray bones?) it worked. There stood the famed She-Ra, “Savior of Worlds Future, Present, and Past,” they had called her. Adora felt like no one’s savior, not even her own, and had blushed profusely at the awe and attention.

Transforming back was another story. It took her some time to figure it out, and so she sat through many questions as She-Ra before randomly shrinking back into plain old Adora. She would need to work on that if she was going to act as a weapon on behalf of the Princess Rebellion. Which, gods permitting, she was.

As Adora took the last couple of bites of her meal she looked to Glimmer, who promptly stopped talking and looked back.

“Princess Glimmer,” Adora began.

“Oh, dear. Just Glimmer is alright, if you please.”

“Oh, uh, yes. Glimmer, then. Where might I rest my head tonight?”

“Oh! Yes, just one moment,” Glimmer said. And then, presumably due to some trick of the light or some lack of perception on Adora’s part out of pure exhaustion, she vanished.

Adora turned to Bow who was eating Glimmer’s pudding with gusto (he had already finished his) and who seemed entirely unfazed by Glimmer’s disappearance.

“Bow…?” Adora began, unsure really where to go from there.

Bow looked up quickly and laughed.

“Right, yes! The matter of princess magic, then. Well, Adora, I’m not sure how much Hordak shared with his troops, but princesses, put simply, are magic. Not all of their magic looks the same or has the same purpose. Glimmer, for instance, can instantly transport herself from one room to another with absolutely no trouble at all. I suppose I have grown quite used to it since we have been companions from a young age,” he finished, chuckling lightly to himself.

Adora thought she ought not be too terribly surprised, considering all she had learned about the Horde, that she had been lied to about princesses. The Horde had taught them that princesses were terrible, hideous creatures who, at the slightest provocation, would use their unnatural and monstrous powers to turn a man instantly from living to dead. Glimmer’s ability to travel at light speed between two places did not seem to be a weapon of murder by any means. She supposed if all princesses had different powers then perhaps Glimmer was the exception to the rule. But then, she thought, what about Commander Weaver? Was she not magic? Did she not use her powers for destruction? Things were getting more clear and more muddied by the second.

“Erm, Adora? Hello? I would think as someone who only hours ago transformed in front of our very eyes into a gargantuan warrior from a seemingly normal girl you would be somewhat less stunned by magic…”

Adora finally snapped out of her reverie right as Glimmer appeared in a shower of sparkles.

“Come along, Adora, I will show you to your quarters.”

If asked that morning what she would do should she be sleeping in Castle Bright Moon that evening Adora would have first laughed. She then would have said “Sleeping soundly, of course.”

That morning’s Adora would have been wrong. In reality, Adora lay awake wondering all sorts of things. She wasn’t quite sure how she had ended up here, why the people of Bright Moon were so keen to have her, and why she had agreed to stay at all.

She supposed it had something to do with the loneliness. After slightly more than two and twenty years of Catra curled up at the end of her bed she had found the cobbled stone streets rather cold and unloving. Not that she missed Catra sleeping with her. She just missed the other girl _in general_. And of course that was all they had ever done, wasn’t it? Been just… generally together? Most of the other soldiers had learnt early on to keep their mouths shut about it, but it had gotten the pair teased as children many times. That is, until one day during morning drills when Catra “accidentally” stabbed another cadet with her training sword after her said something off color about the two of them. Adora could still remember the triumphant glint in Catra’s blue and golden eyes as she watched the boy walking dejectedly away amidst the laughter of his friends. She and Catra were one step beyond inseparable after that.

However, Adora had spent the past couple of weeks entirely alone. Meaning she should be done overthinking who exactly Catra was to her. She was her friend, surely. Adora knew what it meant to have friends. Lonnie and Rogelio and Kyle were her friends. She liked them plenty.

But things with Catra were very decidedly different. After all, Lonnie did _not_ sleep in Adora’s bed. And Adora’s heart did not race with such ferocity at the intrusive thought of _Kyle_ reaching out and touching her face gently, leaning in, breath mingling with Adora’s and finally…

Adora’s thoughts were (thankfully!) interrupted by a loud noise in the hall outside her bedchamber. She had never had her own bedchamber before and did not know what would be the most proprietous course of action. She stayed still in her bed until the door creaked open, at which point her soldiers instincts kicked in and she jumped stealthily into a fighting position with half a mind to grab the sword from beside her bed.

When she saw that it was Glimmer her cheeks went pinker than the other girl’s hair.

“Princes- Um, er, I mean, Glimmer. Hello. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Glimmer, for her part, looked equally abashed.

“I, well. I just wanted to check you were sleeping soundly,” she said rather sheepishly.

Adora could have cried. She knew in that moment for the first time what it was like to be cared for. Not loved. She knew Catra had loved her (and that she might still), but to be cared for. For no other reason than genuine desire to ensure her safety Glimmer had wandered into her bed chambers.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flashback chapterrrrrrr

The next couple of days passed by in a rush. The more time that Adora spent with Glimmer and Bow, the more she felt at home. A part of her wanted to sneak out at night and find Catra, snuggle up with her and scratch behind her ears like she had done as a child, but she knew that would only lead to trouble for her, especially considering how hard she was working to ensure the queen’s trust.

Still, Adora could not help but to let her mind wander. Catra had always had a very tough façade, but since she and Adora had met at 4 or 5 she had been soft for only her. Adora thought back wistfully to the first time that Catra had purred in front of her.

 

_If anyone had looked in on the pair of child soldiers, curled up comfortably on a cot, lamp light burning under cover of the scratchy sheets, they would have seen two girls happier than any they knew._

_“Adoooora,” Catra giggled. Adora had just sheepishly asked Catra if she could, well, touch her ears. Or her tail! Either one was fine. Or both. If that was what Catra wanted. Or neither, too, if that was what Catra wanted._

_“You can touch them both,” Catra had said, a strange quality coloring her voice. She sounded almost in awe and almost sad. “No one has ever asked before” she said. People had touched her ears and tail since she was a small… kitten? Baby? Either way, no one had ever shown her the respect Adora was showing by simply asking before touching._

_“Really?” Adora whispered. They did their best to be quiet, and they could tell how well or how poorly they had done the following morning, based on the glares of the other cadets._

_Instead of answering, Catra reached out and took Adora’s hand tentatively. She paused for a moment with a soft look on her face, which quickly morphed back into her classic Catra smirk. But still softer, Adora thought, not without a little bit of pride._

_Catra brought Adora’s hand up and placed it in her hair, right behind her ear. Her hair was softer than it looked, and it reminded Adora a little bit of the barn cats they had chased earlier that summer. She couldn’t help the smile that blossomed on her face. Catra’s ear, on the other hand, was the softest thing Adora had ever felt. She imagined it must feel like the decadent and wasteful fabrics the princesses used. She ran her fingertips over it lightly, eyes darting down to meet Catra’s. But Catra’s eyes were closed, and so Adora decided to just keep exploring until Catra had had enough. She felt along both of Catra’s ears at once, doing something nearer to petting. Once her hands reached the bottoms of Catra’s ears she did what she had done to the one friendly barn cat they had caught (the one they had named Trout at Catra’s insistence) and gave them a little scratch._

_A loud purr erupted out of Catra’s chest and Adora yanked her hands away, startled. Catra’s eyes blinked open slowly, a soft purr still rumbling around them and asked sleepily “hmmmf, Adora? Why did you stop?”_

_Adora could not explain the relief she felt in that moment. She had been worried Catra would be embarrassed or upset, the way she usually got when someone mentioned something about her feline features (just last week in the canteen some boy had poked fun at her for the way she lapped her water, which Adora found almost_ unbearably _cute, and Catra’s ears had lain flat down and her face had turned red. Tears started pooling in her eyes but before any could fall Adora had done the gentlemanly thing and punched the boy square in the nose. That had earned her a long rant on appropriate canteen behavior, but it had been worth it for the look on Catra’s face), but Catra just pushed her head gently into Adora’s hand and purred a little louder._

_Adora had never in her 8 years of life felt the way she felt in that moment. She felt a strange mix of affection and protectiveness. Catra was much littler than her, though Adora was only a little bit older, so Adora did often feel like she needed to protect Catra. But this was somehow different._

_Adora chose to not think too much of it, instead redoubling her scratching efforts with the sole purpose of increasing the purrs pouring out of Catra at an already alarming rate. Catra opened her eyes fully, almost as though she had forgotten herself and had only just remembered._

_“Sorry, sorry!” she said in a harsh whisper. She looked guilty, like when Adora would turn and catch her stealing rations from her plate while Adora’s back was turned._

_Adora blinked at her, confused. She did not quite understand why Catra was apologizing, or why she should, and she said as much._

_“I got… carried away,” Catra mumbled, clearly embarrassed._

_Adora could not help herself and she laughed aloud, quickly quieting down when she heard Lonnie shifting in the next cot over._

_“But Catra,” she said, doing her best to stifle her giggling, “that was the cutest thing I have ever been privy to!”_

_If Catra was blushing Adora would never mention it. Adora reached her hand back up and placed it gently near Catra’s ear, almost as a question. Catra nodded and she and Adora fell asleep cuddled comfortably together, Catra’s head on Adora’s chest, Adora’s nose tucked firmly into the soft, tickly fur of Catra’s ear._


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all, hope you're still here! Sorry for the little hiatus, I'm trying to update weekly but life likes to get in the way! Enjoy this chapter, more to come soon!

It had been 8 days since Bow had found Adora in an alleyway. It had been 2 hours since Adora had awoken. There had been 3 meetings already that morning (one impromptu one over breakfast).

Adora pondered the best way to begin her next sentence.

“Erm, Glimmer? Bow?”

They both looked up at her from where they were comparing notes on the last meeting.

“I do not mean to sound ungrateful in any way. In fact, I am very grateful. You have housed, clothed, and fed me for the past week, and I really am very happy here in Bright Moon. Or, I think I will learn to be over time, and-“

“Adora,” Glimmer interrupted, narrowing her eyes, “I do not want to be harsh but could you… get to the point?”

Adora blushed furiously. “Yes, yes, of course. I just wanted to ask… Well, I was just wondering,” Glimmer and Bow nodded encouragingly. “I just wanted to ask when we might… do something?”

Glimmer laughed aloud.

Bow did his best to stifle his laughter, but his face scrunched up exactly how it had earlier that week when Glimmer had teleported into the middle of a fountain in Salineas in an effort not be late due to excessive time spent pruning beforehand.

“I am sorry but I do not see what is so funny!” Adora said, scowling. All she had wanted was a small break from the monotony of back to back meetings day in and day out. If she did not know any better she might have thought her past week’s schedule an alternative form of torture. A dungeon was sounding nicer by the moment.

“What is it that you would like to do, Adora?” Glimmer asked, composing herself slightly.

“Well…”

“Yes?”

“I would like to do some training exercises? Back in the Horde Army we trained for hours daily. All of this sitting is making my legs cramp. And I mean no offense, but it would be a small blessing to be rid of these skirts for a while.” Adora grinned sheepishly. She had only had to wear skirts in the Horde a few times, usually on reconnaissance missions, and she had felt very uncomfortable the past few days. She felt at a distinct tactical disadvantage, but she also wondered why on Etheria people chose to go around with their legs loose to the breeze. It was distracting!

Glimmer nodded. “That can be easily arranged. Bow, please go alert the armory that we shall be there momentarily for training weapons. Adora, please follow me to the tailors so that we can have a proper sparring suit made up for you.”

“Really?” Adora said incredulously. “Do we not have other meetings to attend?”

“Of course we do,” said Glimmer. “But if we are to use you as a weapon we must keep you sharp!”

 ____

 

Hours later Adora lay in bed utterly exhausted. Glimmer and Bow, high society that they may be, had much more stamina and skill than Adora had initially imagined. She had found the two of them on one side a hard to win battle.

About an hour in Glimmer had made a covert signal and seconds later a guard trotted around the corner briskly, carrying the sword Adora had found in the wood.

“That! That was in my bed chambers!” Adora spluttered, face going a little red. She had never had her own bed chambers before and felt more than a little indignant that her privacy had been violated. She rapidly realized that any sense of privacy she had here was an illusion and in all likelihood there were guards hidden outside (possibly even inside) of her rooms at all times. If she had been shy about dressing in front of others this fact may have bothered her more.

“I had the guards retrieve it while we were in the armory. Have you ever… have you ever _fought_ as She-Ra?” Glimmer asked. She seemed mildly afraid of the answer.

“No,” Adora answered honestly. “I have only ever even transformed into her thrice, maybe four times.”

Glimmer sighed in relief. “Well, now is as good a time as any to begin practice!”

Adora was more than a little afraid but she did not think it in her favor to disagree with the crown princess.

She took the sword gingerly, as though it might also transform, and then grasped it firmly by the hilt. Holding it skyward she cried “FOR THE HONOR OF GRAYSKULL!” The itching, creaking feeling in her bones began, followed by the tugging of skin. It was distinctly uncomfortable. She emerged from the flash of light much bigger, seeing Glimmer and Bow shielding their eyes.

“ _Wooooooooow_ ,” Bow said, eyes gleaming. “I could watch you do that all day!”

Adora blushed and waved him off. “Erm, let us get to practicing then!” she said, hoping to draw attention away from herself somehow.

They had spent hours practicing the most basic techniques. Adora was clumsy in her She-Ra form. She was big, and her range was different, and everything about her was slightly heavier. By the end of the session all she had wanted to do was collapse.

Glimmer and Bow had convinced her to eat some dinner first. They had then also offered to introduce her to the “baths.” Adora had assumed all bathing was equal. Apparently she had been wrong. Glimmer and Bow had taken Adora to a sweet smelling room in the heart of the castle which had steam pouring from beneath the door. They had given her a special piece of clothing that was abhorrently revealing, even for a lowly soldier, and told her to get dressed. When she re-emerged from her changing stall the two of them had already sunk into a pinkish, swirling pool. Adora looked at them questioningly and they beckoned for her to join them.

Adora stuck one foot out gingerly and touched her toes to the surface of the pool. It was warm, very nearly hot, and she understood then where all the floral smelling steam was coming from. She stepped in fully and then sat, feeling that there was a bench of sorts around the perimeter. Immediately her muscles relaxed and she let out what one could only call a moan.

Glimmer’s cheeks were as pink as the water in the bath but Adora’s eyes were closed and so she could not see them. Bow, could however. He shot her a knowing glance and Glimmer scowled back, even sticking her tongue out for good measure. Bow’s laughter caused Adora to open her eyes, slowly, but she was too relaxed to ask what was funny.

“This is… amazing,” she said, sinking lower so that she was almost entirely submerged.

 

As Adora returned to her bedchambers that night, sated and tired and very sweet smelling, she did not notice the second shadow following hers down the hall. She did not notice that her door was stopped prior to latching all the way. And most importantly, she did not notice, as she changed into her nightclothes and relaxed into her bed, that she was most decidedly not alone.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ft. Catra being v gay

In the 3 weeks or so since Adora had found a sword in the woods (alongside her conscience, apparently), Catra had been fuming, sulking, and lashing out on a rotating schedule.

When at one point, Kyle, one of the least capable but sweetest boys in their ranks, had asked her what was wrong Catra had clawed at him so viciously he had spent 3 full days in the infirmary.

No one else asked.

In reality, they did not need to.

Adora, Golden Child of the Horde, was gone. They had all awoken on that fateful morning only a handful of days prior to find the bunk below Catra’s suspiciously empty. Even more suspicious was that Catra was in her own bunk. The 2 soldiers had thought themselves clever and careful, but everyone in their quarters knew they slept together every night, in Adora’s bunk.

Catra, for her part, had pretended to stretch and yawn although she had not slept a wink. She had hoped that everyone would leave her alone but alas, they had all began questioning her as soon as her eyes had opened.

“Catra, where is Adora?” Lonnie asked, being always the most annoying and obviously in no great hurry to lose that title.

“Isn’t she right there?” Catra asked, lazily pointing down.

“You know she is not,” Lonnie said, sounding more accusatory this time. Catra thought it might be best not to make people mad. Or suspicious.

“Alright, I know she is not.” Catra admitted. “But that does not mean I know where she is. Adora is her own person, believe it or not, and I do not keep tabs on her at all times.”

“Erm, uh, no- no offense intended, Catra,” Kyle began, “but, um, yes. You sort of do.”

“Yeah,” Lonnie chimed in. “We all know you two are… well, you know… together. Romantically. Together.” Lonnie finished, clearly losing steam.

Catra’s face was aflame, literally. Or so she imagined it must be because she had never felt so hot in her life.

“Adora and I ARE NOT together. Romantically. Why would you- who told you that? Did she?”

The other cadets chose this exact moment to begin practicing for their careers as silent monks. Lonnie scratched her neck and shrugged and then slowly began inching her way out of the room, mumbling something about needing her rations at least an hour before training to avoid stomach pains.

Kyle and the other cadets followed shortly after, all making up some excuse or another about why they needed to be exactly anywhere else.

Catra flopped back down, feeling as though steam were pouring out of her ears.

She and Adora? Romantically together? What did those absolute imbeciles know about her and Adora?

Catra had thought she was being very discrete about her feelings for Adora, because she knew Adora could not possibly feel the same way. If she did why would she not have told Catra already? Adora was the feeling one, not Catra! Adora was the one who cried when they heard stories of valiant Horde soldiers taken out by the Princesses. Adora was the one who could hardly control her stupid, over eager smiling when Catra had said “of course we are best friends, you dolt, who in Hordak’s name did you think I would say when you asked me that?” Adora, brute strength, no strategy Adora, always moving based on her heart first and her head second. Adora was the feeling one. Not. Catra.

So why, then, did Catra feel so strongly for Adora?

 _Catra had noticed it one morning after a training exercise when she was 18 and Adora was 19, this sudden fluttering in her stomach. She and Adora had been walking to the bathing rooms after an intense morning. Catra herself had been tired and had wished for nothing more than to shower and take lunch prior to their afternoon Horde History classes. Adora had, on the other hand, been energetically prattling on about her excitement due to having learnt a new sword technique that day in class. She was decades ahead of the others in parrying class, although they had all started the unit at the same time, and so she was learning around 1 new technique each week, quickly moving through the official curriculum and now learning things_ for fun _. It being midweek she had just spent the entire morning perfecting her new jumping thrust. She was dripping sweat and Catra’s sensitive nose was twitching with the musty smell coming off of Adora in waves._

 _Catra was nodding along, smiling here and there, adding in a surprised look or two for emphasis, and all of a sudden, after a particularly excited outburst that led to Catra laughing so heartily she had tears in her eyes, Adora stopped yammering and turned to her. Catra kept walking a pace or two before she noticed, still wiping a tear or two from the corners of her eyes, and then she turned around to see what was wrong. Adora appeared lost in thought, but when Catra asked her what was going on she just blushed a little bit, smiled softly, and reached out to brush some loose strands of hair from Catra’s sweaty cheek. Catra’s heart had begun pounding out of her chest (_ for no reason, heart! Please calm down! _) and Adora had begun leaning in as though… as though she was going to…_

_“Adora! Hurry up! We need all of the time we can get to finish our Horde History paper. I’ve already showered and am on my way to the classrooms now.” Kyle. Of course. It was Kyle._

_Adora and Catra jumped apart, the former blushing profusely._

_“Right, erm, coming!” Adora yelled. She glanced at Catra apologetically and then began jogging towards the baths, hazarding a small wave over her shoulder before she disappeared entirely._

_Catra stood for a moment, wondering what in Hordak’s name she was feeling. Her heart was racing, her palms had become sweaty. She realized belatedly that her claws were out (without her knowing!). She shook her head a few times in hopes of clearing it and began walking again._

_But as she stood in her showering stall (courtesy of Entrapta of Dryl, Etheria’s best [nonpartisan] mechanics specialist) all she could think about was Adora in the stall next to hers._

_Catra blushed profusely. Why on Etheria should_ nakedness _of all things be something seemingly illicit or exciting? Catra had seen Adora naked probably 1,000 times since their childhood, though that happened decidedly less often now that they were older._

_Still, she could not help but close her eyes and think of the water slowly dripping down her own torso, could not help imagining the same happening to Adora. Of Adora’s face turned up into the stream of the water, her dark lashes like smudges of charcoal on her sweet, pink cheeks and her blonde hair clinging to her neck and shoulders. She traced the path of a single drop down onto Adora’s nose, slipping over her lips and down her neck, over her collar bone, and down and down and-_

_Catra’s eyes flashed open and she found herself almost gasping for air. This was not good. This was on the opposing side to good. This was, undoubtedly, very, very bad._


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which Catra is even dumber than we thought

When Catra arrived at the mess hall only moments before drills began she knew she was going to be in trouble with Weaver. It did not matter that the hall was still open, or that drills had not yet begun. Anything short of perfection on Catra’s part was a wrongdoing in Weaver’s eyes.

And yet, this morning when she did her customary “10 minutes until drills!” warning she stopped next to Catra and looked at her with something akin to … pity.

“Dear, Catra. You poor, insolent child. How lost you must be feeling without our Adora here to guide you. You being late this morning is no surprise considering we all know Adora is the only one who could keep you in line. I suppose I will have to start doing that job myself since it does not appear Adora will be rejoining us anytime soon.”

Catra shuddered. She hated Weaver, but she was not nearly stupid enough to speak out against her. She had been on the receiving end of Weaver’s punishments one too many times for that. Still…

“I am not late, Commander,” Catra said. “I have 5 minutes until drills begin, you’ve just said so yourself.”

This was the wrong choice. Wrathful hatred flashed in Weaver’s eyes, replacing her feigned concern in an instant.

“You are now.” Weaver said to her, and then to the rest of the cadets, “Due to Catra’s inability to remain respectful breakfast is over 5 minutes early. You may all thank her for this, and for the fact that your lunching period will now be thirty minutes instead of one hour.”

Underneath the noise of 100 or so cadets groaning and chairs scraping out Weaver leaned in to Catra’s ear and said “It will do you no good to challenge me, Catra. I can make your life miserable. It would bring me pleasure to do so. Come to my office after drills. We need to speak.”

Catra’s stomach twisted itself into knots. She knew what speaking with Commander Weaver meant, and she began steeling herself for the pain.

 --

Hours later Catra returned to the bunks, sore and tired. She had learnt early on that crying only made Commander Weaver angry, and so it was not until she reached her bunk that the tears began to fall. Stupid Weaver, and stupider Adora, leaving her alone in this horrible, horrible place.

Adora.

All of this was her fault. If she had just come back to the Horde encampment with Catra then none of this would be happening. Catra had the sudden and foolish idea that she should go find her. She could not be that far away. Adora had always been rubbish at maps.

Before she could change her mind Catra left. She made her way through the woods on instinct and feline night vision alone. She considered calling Adora but she knew that would only alert nearby predators to her. She would have to listen carefully and smell closely. She had years of practice smelling Adora, plus she had been sleeping with Adora’s unwashed training uniform since she left. She hated herself for it.

She had been walking for maybe fifteen minutes when the wind picked up briefly and brought an achingly familiar scent to her nose.

_Adora._

Catra lifted her head, her nose twitching, and began walking quickly in the direction of the smell. Her heart had begun racing, even though she knew she could not be anywhere near Adora yet. She knew from the Horde’s rudimentary maps that she was at least 1-2 days’ journey away from Brightmoon on foot, and she suddenly cursed herself for not thinking to grab a skiff.

Still, she kept her nose to the wind, trying desperately to figure out where the scent had gone. She decided that her best bet would be to try and walk directly away from the Horde for as long as possible, and then to find a safe place to sleep so that they would not easily find her. Since she had the best senses out of any of the cadets she doubted they would have an easy go of it, but she also knew that Hordak would not take well to the idea of two of the Horde’s finest having suddenly disappeared.

After having walked for around an hour Catra found a sort of grassy underbrush near some trees that she was able to hide herself mostly under. She tucked her tail into her pants for safekeeping (heaven knows the damn thing would give her away in an instant) and fell asleep blissfully dreaming of all of the trouble Weaver would be in when she was found missing as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> let me know what y'all would like to see in future chapters! updates have been slow because of BUSY LIFE but I would love to continue this if there's any interest.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SCORPIA

The next morning when Catra awoke she realized how different the woods looked at night. She had felt a little insecure walking alone through them, like there were hundreds of tiny eyes on her the whole time that would shut the instant she turned to see who was there, but the morning told a different story of the woods entirely. The sunlight pooled around Catra, drenching her in warmth, and the leaves seemed to glitter as a summery breeze blew gently through them. Catra stretched leisurely, feeling more rested than she had in weeks.

It took her only a few moments to recognize the soft grumbling coming from her stomach, and she cursed herself again for not having thought to bring any rations. In all of the stories of Horde soldiers being brave and risky and charging valiantly forward no one ever mentioned their having needed food and drink. Or, come to think of it, how dirty one might get sleeping in the, well, dirt.

No Horde cadet could possibly think themselves privileged, but a hot, steamy shower would have done wonders for her at that moment, Catra thought. Still, she had already made the foolish decision to trek out on her own, and based on the position of the sun it was at least 8 in the morning, meaning Shadow Weaver and the others would likely have already noticed her missing, so it was not like she could easily turn back and start over.

Catra pondered her options. She could try her luck and see if she made it into Brightmoon at a reasonable hour before her limbs gave out due to hunger. She could try hunting (her cat-like features had to lend themselves to that, right?). She could also try foraging for some edible roots and berries, but that seemed dangerous. She thought back to a time when she and Adora had been patrolling late at night and Adora had stepped into a thicket of poison ivy. She had been absolutely mortified with the itchy, red welts, but she had healed easily over time. Still, Catra did not want to take any chances! If a plant could do _that_ to one’s outside she did not want to think about what eating the wrong sort could do to one’s insides.

She decided hunting was her best bet. She crouched down low, laying her ears flat and trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. She was not quite sure if her Horde attire would be helpful considering the glaring red insignias, but then again perhaps woodland creatures could not see color anyhow.

After a few minutes of silently watching she heard a bird alight rather nearby. _Idiot bird_ , she chuckled to herself, _essentially just landing right in my han-_

Catra leapt with very much grace and dignity, if she did say so herself, and, claws outstretched, tail flicking, ears pressed back…missed the bird by at least a kilometer. She landed unceremoniously in a heap on the forest floor. She stood and dusted herself off, deciding that she would just have to be very, very good at finding Brightmoon. For her own sake.

\-- 

 

Catra wandered through the Whispering Woods until the sun had passed high overhead and was setting behind her before she heard a faint… bustling. The sort quite reminiscent of city bustling, if she was not mistaken.

Catra felt tears welling behind her eyes and cursed herself for her weakness and stupidity. What an absolute dolt she had been! Walking out into the woods with no back up or food. She began running towards the sound, stopping short when she realized that a Horde soldier sprinting into the city center of Brightmoon might cause *a small amount* of alarm.

Through a clearing in the trees she could begin to see buildings and streets. She knew she had made it to Brightmoon based on the stories she had heard in the Horde and the drawings of the place she had seen in battle plans, but… now what?

First things first, she knew that if anyone saw her Horde soldiers’ uniform they would “absolutely lose it” as Adora was fond of saying. Her stomach growled and reminded her that perhaps second things first, she needed some sustenance. Catra decided that her only choice was to try her best to sneak into the city and maybe locate some generous fool who might help her out. But how to spot such a fool in Brightmoon? Catra did not know what to look out for and she cursed herself again for being so desperate to see Adora again that she snuck out entirely unprepared.

Catra crept slowly out of the woods, keeping low to the ground. The sunset was casting the city into shadow, making it much easier for her to slip into the city limits. Catra did not let out a single breath until she was entirely hidden in a dark and musty alleyway. She noticed that there were still many people milling about the streets, and she worried that she would be seen immediately if she did not find someone to help her soon. She knew that her Horde uniform would be of no use to her, and so she did the only thing she could think to do. With a rip much louder than someone in hiding would prefer, thanks, she began shredding the Horde insignias off her clothing with her claws. She was unsure how many unannounced visitors from other places came to Brightmoon, but she thought her disheveled look and torn clothing would bring enough attention that she should not risk being painted over with Hordak’s symbol.

As she finished removing the last of the red from her uniform she heard someone whistling. Tunelessly. Just sort of making short, sharp bursts of sound as they walked.

She peeked her head out of the alleyway and saw a rather tall woman with shorn white hair (a shock of which was longer and flopping above her eyes) wending her way through the crowd, seeming almost joyfully oblivious to the blatant stares of wonder (disgust?) of those around her.

Catra found herself staring too, confused by this beautiful, tall, entirely oblivious stranger. Except the thing was, Catra was staring from ahead of the stranger, not behind like everyone else, and so of course the stranger saw her and made eye contact. And then waved. And then joined her in the alleyway.

“Why helloooooo,” the stranger crooned, her maroon gloved hands coming up to Catra’s cheeks. “Are you not the sweetest, most darling, ADORABLE creature upon whom I have ever laid eyes!”

Catra began to hiss but realized that this stranger may be her only chance at getting into Brightmoon safely.

“Uh, erm, thank you. Um, very much,” she said, wincing a little as the woman pinched her cheeks.

“And what, might I ask, is your name, you cute little ball of fur?”

“Pardon my rudeness,” Catra said, clearing her throat, “but could you please, em, unhand my face. Please! It is making it quite difficult to… think.”

The stranger moved her hands away begrudgingly and said “Well, sincerest apologies, but you see I just looooove animals. And I have never seen any quite like you.”

“I am not an anim-“ Catra began, but then since she did not know quite what she was she stopped. “I am Catra,” she said instead.

“I am Scorpia, of Crimson,” the woman said, still beaming brightly enough to put the setting sun to shame. “You seem to be in… well, in a bit of a state,” Scorpia said, looking Catra up and down but at least having the decency to blush whilst doing so. “From whence did you travel, Catra?”

“It is not of any grand importance,” Catra said, racking her brain for a way to get this woman to help her. Suddenly she had an idea.

“I have come to Brightmoon alone, and I am… frightened.” Catra gave her best pout and save me eyes, the same face she had used to give Adora to convince her to stay up a little bit later, or to do Catra’s chores for her so that she could sleep in.

Scorpia’s face turned quickly to horror! “Frightened?” she gasped. “But Brightmoon is a beautiful, wonderful place. No one should ever feel afraid here when there is so much good to be had.” Before Catra could protest Scorpia had swept her up from the ground and was cradling her much like a baby. “Do not worry, kitty Catra, I will take care of you!”

Catra did her best not to roll her eyes upward and into her skull. She knew, now, she supposed, how to spot a fool in Brightmoon.


End file.
